SP’s: In another attempt to clear the confusion clouds, Microsoft said that users shouldn’t worry about the Windows 10 data collection practices. In a recent interview, talking about the data collection, Microsoft’s VP Joe Belfiore said that the company feels that there are some compulsory data collection practices that are related to the system health issue.
Since the Windows 10 launch, from time-to-time we have received new updates about the privacy concerns in the new Microsoft OS. Users have noticed that their computers are now collecting more data by default and sending it to Microsoft.
In the past, Microsoft has tried to clear the air by trying to assure the users with some incomplete answers. Once again to clarify the issues, Microsoft’s VP Joe Belfiore said in an interview with CW that Windows 10 is not doing anything that should be called a privacy violation.
While the company claims that users are having full control over the OS, there are a number of services that keep running all the time. Defending this, Microsoft VP said that these services are used to send app crash data to the Microsoft servers. He stresses on the fact that this data is encrypted, so users shouldn’t panic.
“In the case of knowing that our system that we’ve created is crashing, or is having serious performance problems, we view that as so helpful to the ecosystem, and [therefore] not an issue of personal privacy, that today, we collect that data so that we make that experience better for everyone,” he said.
When asked about the tracking features that can’t be turned off, Microsoft VP said that the company doesn’t consider them to be a privacy issue as the data sent via these services is just regarding system health, and no personal information is sent back to the company servers.
“In the cases where we’ve not provided options, we feel that those things have to do with the health of the system, and are not personal information or are not related to privacy,” he added.
Well, not matter how genuine explanations Microsoft gives, the concern remains as the users must have the power to choose whether to share some info or nothing at all.
We hope that Microsoft decides to loosen up a bit in the next updates of Windows 10 and provides us more control. What are your thoughts regarding this issue? Tell us in the comments below.